Happy Days
Musical in 2 Acts: book by Garry Marshall; music and lyrics by Paul Williams, based on the ABC TV series of the same name.
Contents
Goodspeed Opera House, East Haddam, Connecticut - 9 August, 2007 to 2 September, 2007 (season)
Synopsis
The story concerns the kids' plans to save Arnold’s from demolition by hosting a dance contest and a wrestling match.
Story
Act One
It is 1959 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Richie Cunningham, on the precipice of a new decade, is about to graduate high school and go off to college. His friends and family meet at Arnold's malt shop, and, together, bid the audience welcome. Arnold breaks the bad news that a construction company has plans to turn his eponymous restaurant into a parking lot and something called a "mall". Arthur Fonzerelli AKA "Fonzie" vows to save the day, and that it will be a snap.
The next morning, Laurie Beth comes over to Richie's house and tells how all the other girls are getting engaged before going to college, and she wants to know why she isn't. Richie brushes it off as he has Girl Talk #213 with Fonzie. This is interrupted when Ralph, Potsie, and Chachi come over. Chachi then informs everyone about Pinky Tuscadero coming into town to host the dance contest proposed to save Arnold's. After Fonzie leaves, the boys start their "Dial Tones" rehearsal. They talk about how much they don't know about girls, but rehearse anyway. Fonzie informs them that girls like "regular guys singing, not screaming like girls".
Across town at the Leopard Lodge meeting, Howard suggests a wrestling match between the tough Malachi brothers, Fonzie's nemesis, and Fonzie. The Leopards promise Howard a plaque if he is able to talk Fonzie into the scheme, expecting it to bring a great deal of media coverage.
Back at Arnold's the Dial Tones welcome Miss Tuscadero and she makes her grand entrance. As Arnold takes Pinky and her Pinkettes into the kitchen to go over their schedule, the Malachis make their entrance only to have their bike crashed into by Fonzie. Arnold closes up before trouble ensues. At this moment, Fonzie and Pinky see each other for the first time in years, rekindling some old feelings. As Chachi and Fonzie talk about girls, we hear about Fonzie's and Pinky's history, and Chachi asked Fonzie how to know when something is over and how to get to know a girl. Fonzie says "you've just gotta learn to listen with your heart".
At the Cunningham home, Marion, after being rebuffed by Howard, ponders the plight of the 50s housewife. She is joined by Joanie who laments the curse of being a lovelorn 50s teen, for Joanie is in love with Chachi.
We then go back to Arnold's for the dance contest. Fonzie enters and is greeted by Richie. Richie tries to talk Fonzie out of wrestling at the match due to his "weak" knee, but Fonzie will have none of it. He goes back in to Arnold's, where Pinky is giving Joanie boy advice and tells her that all she has to do to dance with Chachi is listen to the music. Pinky then asks Fonzie to slow it down on the jukebox and asks him to compete in the wrestling match. Everyone rejoices when he says yes.
After Richie finds out that Fonzie promised Pinky he would wrestle anyway, he promises the Fonz that he will tell everyone about his weakness. Fonzie laments about how he is torn between being embarrassed or risking serious injury.
Act Two
A week later, Fonzie is still missing and everyone realizes how much he means to them. With Fonzie gone, there can be no media frenzy surrounding a nonexistent wrestling match, and Arnold's is doomed. Richie tells the gang that he will wrestle the Malachis in Fonzie's place, with Ralph in his corner. Ralph doesn't want to do it, but the guys insist they can't run, but must face the challenge and get the job done.
At Arnold's, Pinky tells everyone of Fonzie's nomadic nature and that he may never return, which makes Joanie wonder if Chachi could do the same. Pinky, missing her guy advises Joanie to remain strong.
Fonzie is on the outskirts of town, his efforts to leave unsuccessful. Joined by some car hop girls, Fonzie admits that his reign of cool could be over and that he is feeling lost.
Back at Arnold's the Malachi brothers discover that they won't be wrestling Fonzie so they humiliate Richie and Ralph by giving them huge wedgies just in time for pictures for the local paper. After this they believe with Fonzie gone the "fun" will begin and they will be tearing Richie and Ralph, who have opted to wrestle in Fonzie's place,
In the Cunningham kitchen, Marion and Joanie are preparing for the picnic when Pinky stops in to give Marion a shotglass from Cincinnati. Pinky is in awe of the domestic lifestyle of Marion, while Marion is envious of the adventurous lifestyle of Pinky, while Joanie sits at home wondering how Chachi is going to feel at prom.
Later, Marion finds Fonzie hiding under the stairs. She reminds him that true cool, like James Dean and Elvis Presley, means not caring what others think. She leaves him in thought, and, miraculously, Fonzie's two heroes appear, convincing Fonzie that guys like them change direction for a worthy cause and the higher road is the only road.
At Phister Park, the wrestling match is getting underway. Everyone gets in the ring, and Ralph runs away, yet again, when suddenly, Fonzie rolls in on his motorcycle. He offers to fight for Arnold's if the brothers promise not to touch his bad knee. The Malachis cheat, of course, but with Richie's help, the good guys prevail.
Everyone celebrates while Fonzie and Pinky resolve to forget old issues and go Dancing. The Leopards present their plaque to Fonzie, but he focuses everyone's attention to the truly cool businessman, Howard Cunningham. Everyone goes into a Plunger Dance, where they all dance with their plungers they are buying from the hardware store, decorated with bright colors and fantastic designs. This is all thanks to Marion and a few jars of Mayonnaise and food coloring. Fonzie announces to a joyous crowd that enough money has been raised to save Arnold's.
The Class of 1959 Graduation Dance begins. Ralph is accompanied by two of the Pinkettes, Potsie by his mother, and Joanie and Chachi sneak in together. Marion and Howard are called in as chaperones, and Pinky and Fonzie come together. Everyone celebrates the happy days they've spent together as an iconic decade draws to a close and the gang gets ready for the 60s (Finale)
Musical numbers
Act 1
- Welcome to Wisconsin - Company
- Snap - Fonzie and Car Hops
- The Thing About Girls - Richie, Ralph, Potsie, and Chachi
- Romeo Midnight - The Dial Tones
- Ooooooh Bop - Fonzie and The Dial Tones
- Leopards Are We - The Leopards
- The Plaque - The Leopards
- The Pink's in Town - Pinky and The Pinkettes
- Malachis - The Malachi Brothers
- Heartbeat - Fonzie, Chachi, and Calendar Girls
- The Plaque Reprise - Howard
- What I Dreamed Last Night - Marion and Joanie
- Message in the Music - Pinky Company
- Maybe It's Time to Move On - Fonzie, Dial-Tones, and Company
Act 2
- Run - Ralph, Richie, Potsie, and Chachi
- Legend in Leather - Pinky and Pinkettes
- Aaay'mless - Fonzie, Car Hops
- Malachis (Reprise) - The Malachi Brothers
- What I Dreamed Last Night (Reprise) - Pinky, Marion, and Joanie
- Guys Like Us - Fonzie, Elvis, James Dean, and guys
- Hot Love - The Dial-Tones
- Dancing on the Moon - Fonzie & Pinky
- Ordinary Hero - Company
- Finale - Company
Cast
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